Friday, October 29, 2010

last year the three of us who are in SF rode in the halloween critical mass. fun and lots of hijinks ensued post ride. here's a video mikael of CCC and copenhagenize made of his experiences last year, and the yours truly three are in it along w/ KT:

I never remember where my car is. It is not unusual for me to have to call James to ask where it is. Should I happen to remember it is street cleaning I am lucky. Should I remember to pay the tickets... that would be fortunate as well.

Obviously, I have not been lucky. Don't pay tickets + forget to SMOG + fail to register = the Boot! On top of it, there are cobwebs in my windows.

On the bright side? There is Tuscan Semolina Cake on my front rack and the GIANTS WON game 1!!

a couple of weeks ago my friend told me about a video i should see. i meant to look for it, but then forgot. i stumbled across it earlier this week. it's made by jesse geller, a MFA student in design at CCA here in san francisco. he submitted to the school's video contest about "bike culture at CCA."

jesse is a recent student transplant to the city, and i like the way he discusses the differences in bike culture from nyc and sf. short, sweet, to the point.

I love all of the blogs out there in the interwebs. Some are big and flashy, others are tiny and written for no one in particular. The number of people who take the time to write about whatever gets stuck in their heads is amazing. I hope that the author of People Poweredwill forgive me for reprinting his beautiful opening post here, but it encompasses just about everything I can think of for the environmental reasons we need to rely on motors less and legs more. I suggest you go take a look at this lovely little blog from Germany!

In our youngest sons’ medical record there’s a medical report from the children’s hospital in Esslingen to our children’s doctor, dated the 30th of January 2007. The introduction begins:

“Report of the above named patient who was brought to our emergency department at 07:54 this morning. Found this morning …breathing loudly and drowsy. emergency doctor called, on arrival patient unresponsive…“

I can’t read those rather undramatic words without remembering the fear I felt holding my tiny six-month-old baby and trying to get him to wake up, move, respond, anything. I remember the rasping wheezing sound of his breath as I tried to call the advice line to see what I could do, and being met with a barrage of questions about my insurance details, address, and other things that I really didn’t what to deal with right then, before explaining the symptoms and hearing the words “Call an ambulance”. Well, gee thanks. I could have done that three precious minutes ago.

The dispatcher told me the emergency doctor was on his way, and to wait outside the house for them to come so they could find us quickly, so I stood outside for a private eternity, trying to stay calm so my family wouldn’t get even more scared, while a truck decided to deliver in the shop next door and caused a traffic jam in both directions. The doctor’s red and white mercedes came, blue lights reflecting off the houses, and they piled out carrying oxygen bottles, monitoring devices and other unfamiliar but strangely comforting tools of the trade, asking questions even before they were through the door.

Our little boy still wouldn’t respond to light, noise or gentle shaking so an ambulance was called. We carried him there, lit by flashing blue lights, with neighbours watching through the windows, although I admit I felt a slight stab of justice when I saw the Ambulance was parked in the loading bay, blocking the truck in.

After continual talking and massaging in the ambulance, I was rewarded by a squeeze of his fingers as we rattled through the morning rush-hour traffic, and the ambulance drivers were fairly confident that he’d be okay, but he didn’t really seem to wake up until he was being examined in the hospital. The form shows a great long list of things they checked before coming to the eventual conclusion it was Croup, probably aggravated by the Feinstaub (Particle pollution) from diesel engines: at the time we were living in an apartment next to a street with 1500 trucks and 13000 cars passing daily.

That morning ‘caring for the environment’ became personal. For me it’s not just about ‘looking after the earth’ but a memory of waiting for the doctor and not knowing if my little boy would die. I don’t want other parents to have to stand on the street, praying the ambulance will come quickly, that their child will wake up or just keep breathing.

We’d followed the cultural belief that ‘one day’ we would have to get a car but on January 30th 2007, that changed. Our family learned first hand the cost of society’s addiction to driving everywhere, and decided we won’t live that way. The process that resulted in us getting the Xtracycle, going to Amsterdam and bringing a bakfiets to Stuttgart and much else, was kicked into high gear that morning.

Tuesday, October 26, 2010

Over at Lovely Bicycle there is a discussion about personalizing bicycles. Around here we love to see bicycles that have been given a little TLC. Meligrosa has an unnatural love of cheeseburger bells. It got me to thinking about various things that have been on the Bat of late. I lean toward the completely functional or truly silly when adding to my bicycles.

What do you have on your bicycles? Any roadside feather collectors out there?

Monday, October 25, 2010

It has been raining here in San Francisco, so I wanted to give a little sunshine to start the week.
This time we were waiting for the light to turn green on Baker and Fulton, there were no cars around so this guy was caught in the middle of making his left-hand turn.

This guy was smiling the whole way with his big ---WHEEEEEE--- smile. I really liked that.
It's Monday, I needed a little bit of sunshine on this computer screen =)

"Take me out to the ball game, take me out with the crowd." Just don't try to ride a bike there. That's the unfortunate reality for fans of most of California's professional baseball teams. While many of the state's major and minor league franchises offer abundant parking for motorists, facilities for bicycling baseball fans are practically nonexistent. Of California's five major league baseball franchises, only one--the San Francisco Giants--offers secure staffed bicycle parking.

At a time when California faces significant challenges with traffic, pollution, energy, and obesity, why aren't the state's professional sports teams doing more to encourage bicycling? What is the responsibility of major traffic-generating enterprises such as ballparks to promote environmentally sustainable transportation options for getting to their facilities?

San Francisco Giants: Visionary Innovators

When the San Francisco Giants began planning for their new downtown baseball stadium in the early 1990s, many neighbors expressed concerns about the traffic that a new ballpark would generate. To alleviate these objections, the Giants developed a comprehensive transportation management plan, which included excellent access to light rail, commuter rail, and ferries. The plan also included a first for major league baseball: indoor, secure, staffed bike parking.

The Giants contracted with the San Francisco Bicycle Coalition (SFBC) to staff the bike parking facility, located on the southern side of the present SBC Park (nee Pacific Bell Park) overlooking the waters of McCovey Cove. The SFBC is a 4,400-member nonprofit advocacy group which promotes bicycling for everyday transportation. The SFBC has for many years provided valet bike parking for numerous events throughout San Francisco, and the coalition was successful passing legislation requiring secure bicycle parking at major events in the city. Valet bike parking at the SBC Park facility was a logical extension of the coalition's work.

On the April evening following Giants slugger Barry Bonds' 660th career home run, the bike parking facility at SBC Park attracted dozens of exuberant baseball fans. "That was the best trip ever down Embarcadero," said Danny Torza of Sacramento, as he wheeled in. "It was like a parking lot out there. Those drivers are going to miss the fireworks after the game."

A regular bike commuter, Torza attends 10-12 Giants games every year, making a multimodal trip combining a drive from Sacramento, a ferry from Vallejo, and a bike ride from the ferry terminal. "This is great. It's crazy to drive into the city. The best way to get to SBC Park is by bike."

The bike parking facility at SBC Park is regularly staffed by Kash, a longtime San Francisco bicycle activist who goes by just one name. He'd like to see 400 bikes per game, but gets an average of 100, saying, "MUNI to the ballpark is so convenient I'm actually losing customers to mass transit," Kash says. "The number of people bicycling to the park varies with the weather. We get more for day games, and when the weather is warmer. I'm seeing a 20 percent annual increase in bikes parked."

As riders roll up, Kash hands them a clipboard to sign-in. He staples a numbered slip onto their handlebars, and gives them a stub to reclaim their bicycle. "How long will you stay?" asks one rider. "Until the last bike is out," Kash replies, later confessing "I'm not really a baseball fan. I'm here for the bikes."

Active with the bike parking operation at SBC Park since its inception in 2000, Kash is well familiar with the routine. He greets the many regulars, directs people to the entrances and will-call windows, provides patient instruction to first timers, and recruits passersby who notice the bike parking.

CBC member Steve Hall bikes to the park from his office five blocks away. "My company has season tickets, so I see a lot of games. Biking is definitely my preferred way to get here." As the time for the first pitch approaches, bicyclists continue to stream in. Many riders of expensive bikes say they wouldn't ride to the game without the secure parking. A smiling father rolls in with two kids on small bikes. Young couples on dates, groups of older men, fans of all ages, bikes ranging in value from cheap to priceless--all express gratitude and enthusiasm for the bike parking.

Alfonso Felder, transportation director for the San Francisco Giants, has been pleased with the response to the bike parking. "We are committed to providing our fans with a variety of convenient means to get to SBC Park," Felder said. "The people who bike to the park really appreciate the service, and it's attracting more people every year."

One regular bicyclist who uses the SBC Park bike parking is Michael Burns, director of San Francisco's transportation agency MUNI. The agency is teaming this season with the Giants and the SFBC on an ad campaign for the city's buses to promote the bike parking: "The secret to easy parking at SBC Park is to ride your bike."

The bicycle parking at SBC Park has also provided a great organizing opportunity for the SFBC. Kash encourages parkers to take the coalition's newsletter, provides information about ongoing campaigns, and answers questions about the organization. "If you approach people with a petition, they often tune out," says Kash. "But if you offer them a valuable service, they are more receptive to your message. A lot of people encounter the SFBC for the first time at SBC Park."

Los Angeles Dodgers: Automotive Nightmare

If the San Francisco Giants are visionary innovators for multimodal access to the ballpark, the Los Angeles Dodgers are the arch-villains of automobile dependency. The franchise's roots go back to transit-rich Brooklyn, where the team was known as the Brooklyn Trolley Dodgers. The franchise relocated to Los Angeles in 1957, in part to build a larger facility with more parking. Callers to the Dodgers' offices can listen to a history of the team narrated by famed broadcaster Vin Scully, which boasts of the expansive parking lots.

Legend has it that Dodger's owner Walter O'Malley took a helicopter ride with county officials above Los Angeles, scouting for a location for the new Dodger Stadium. As they hovered over the empty 300-acre lot at Chavez Ravine, surrounded by three freeways and within sight of the downtown skyline, O_Malley is said to have pointed and asked, "Can I have that?"

The franchise has been tied to the car ever since. The 56,000-seat Dodger Stadium is surrounded by 16,000 parking spaces. The franchise generates 2.4 million car trips over the course of the season, adding nearly 11,000 pounds of smog-producing emissions to Los Angeles' already chronic air pollution.

According to John Olquin, director of public relations for the Dodgers, the stadium offers no staffed bike parking and limited bike racks, if any. (Unconfirmed as of press time.) Olquin doesn't believe there is significant demand by Dodgers' fans for improved bicycle access. "We're located up on a hill, surrounded by freeways," said Olquin.

"I think the Dodgers are being short-sighted in underestimating the desire and ability of cyclists to ride to Dodger Stadium," said Kastle Lund, executive director of the Los Angeles County Bicycle Coalition. "Traffic near Dodger Stadium can only be described as beyond gridlock, even by LA standards."

Lund suggests that bicycling could be a faster, less stressful way to get to the stadium, which is located in Elysian Park, which is a popular cycling destination. "Baseball season happens during the best weather," said Lund. "It could be a very pleasurable ride. It's certainly safe, as the cars are essentially parked. I'm sure a lot of those motorists would love a better option."

The Future of Baseball Bike Parking

California is a hotbed of both bicycling and baseball. It should be easier to combine the activities, which would have a positive impact on the state's air quality, energy use, traffic congestion, and public health. Baseball franchises could work proactively to encourage alternatives to driving, including bicycling. Indeed, the national trend has been to build new stadiums in downtown locations, often as part of urban redevelopment efforts.

"The Giants should be commended for their commitment to providing diverse transportation options to their ballpark," said Leah Shahum, executive director of the San Francisco Bicycle Coalition. "More teams could easily set up similar bike parking programs, which aren't expensive, serve numerous patrons, and generate significant goodwill for the franchises. Professional baseball teams are highly visible enterprises that are sensitive to public opinion. I'd encourage bike activists around California to demand their baseball teams do more to provide alternatives, including bicycle access."

Thursday, October 21, 2010

In response to this story in the Thursday Examiner, I decided to write a letter to the Editor. Despite doing this bicycle thing for several years, and hearing every silly argument against developing infrastructure that benefits all users, I am still amazed when those who chose to live life not tethered to a motor vehicle are characterized as "abnormal". What a silly thing to get stuck on- a person's worth and relative value based on the horsepower and energy source of their personal transportation.

Just to introduce myself, I am a 40 year old, married mother of three here in Sunnyside / Glen Park, where I have lived since 1993. Like many in this part of town, my children attend the local public schools, I grocery shop in the area, get my cleaning done here and use our local library. My family owns two cars and we depend on street parking as we require the use of our garage for other things. My husband commutes to Mill Valley every day, by car.

We are "normal people" and we live a "normal" family life. Our day looks like this- my husband walks our youngest to school and then drives to work, my middle kid takes the bus to her middle school and the oldest rides his bicycle to high school. While I have commuted solely by bicycle and BART (to the east Bay) for several years, I am now a housewife. I do all of my errands in SF by bicycle and ride through Glen Park everyday to either shop or pass through on my way elsewhere.

As a bicyclist and pedestrian, the current proposed changes to Glen Park would benefit me greatly. As a driver, they do the same thing. Making Glen Park a place people want to walk and ride in makes it a place that people don't feel they have to drive in. More people choosing to walk and ride instead of drive means fewer cars, less competition for parking and more room for seniors and children to get around safely. I look forward to the changes coming!

Wednesday, October 20, 2010

I never circle for parking, anymore. There are few times when I wait in traffic, and then never more than a single change of the light. When I am riding every moment of my journey is spent moving toward my goal, nothing wasted waiting in lines or searching for places to stop. Even when it takes longer to get there, the whole time is spent getting there. I feel so purposeful.

Every time I ride along my usual paths I find something new. There is something about the side streets that never calls when I am driving. New additions to the murals on that restaurant I noticed for the first time last week. The people in the house down the street are finally fixing the damage to the attic from the fire they had five years ago. The trees on my street have started to bloom because they are so confused. They won't drop their leaves until January. My mailman is finally wearing pants.

I apologize to the home dwellers of the east side of Dolores St. between 29th and 30th streets. Your sidewalk is so beautiful and wide and on hot days the sun comes through the trees to make such lovely dappled shade that feels like a nice long rest. I frequently am unable to resist your beautiful sidewalk's call to me- "I am so much better than that crowded, loud, busy street. Come ride on me.". I promise to ride slowly and always keep my eyes open for your little purse dogs that run off leash.

The only part of my bicycle that is flimsy is the paint. Look at it and it flakes. Think about using the lock on it, the paint flakes. Try to seal the chips and they flake. At this rate, in another couple of years I will have an all silver bicycle. Batavus, are you listening? Your paint jobs leave much to be desired.

What is that pain in my right knee this week? Why does it hurt when I first take off? What is causing it? Oooooohhhhh, my TFL is very tight. Why didn't I recognize that before? Fix it myself or go to yoga up the street? Ignore it until it is really bad and then complain about it on the blog! Done.

Tuesday, October 19, 2010

last friday on the above stretch of market street as i was going to work, i noticed a woman dressed in what appeared to be a SFMTA vest holding a clipboard. she was in the green painted part of the bike lane close to the end of the paint near the crosswalk. as i have the lights pretty timed, i was mainly concentrating on making the light and continuing on my way.

perhaps she sensed my hesitation because she didn't talk to the cyclist in front of me, but rather asked me three questions:

1. would i please participate in a quick survey?

--yes

2. on a scale of 1 to 5, with 1 being the least safe and 5 being the most safe, how safe do you feel in the lane you are in right now?

--two

3. on a scale of 1 to 5, using the same scale, how safe do you feel biking on green bike lanes?

--four

i was extremely interested in what this was all about, and if she did indeed represent SFMTA. in my quick glance at her, i didn't see a logo of any sort, just yellow and reflective things everywhere.

did anyone else encounter this? if so, what did you say? did you ask her questions back?

Monday, October 18, 2010

Last week, my closest friend from Physical Therapy school, Louise, came into town with her family, David and Colleen. I was really excited because, not only has it been years since we have seen each other, but because they wanted to rent bicycles to get around town. The City was insane and the fact that they were willing to brave the hundreds of thousands of people who came into town (no exaggeration, it was a mad house) made me love them all even more! They live near Napa in a small, quiet town with one road in, which is the same road out- no 300,000 people a day flowing through.

Cameron and Colleen met one another for the first time when they were three. After about a minute of shyness, they were instant friends. When Louise and I found out they had become "Facebook friends" we each had a giggle. The two of them started talking immediately upon Colleen's arrival. It was fun to watch the kids continue a life long friendship, especially doing something so definitively kid like as ride a bicycle on a sunny day.

Colleen was not pleased about the helmet. I am sure the screaming yellow didn't help, but that is the law in California, so she submitted with grace. I think she is the cutest girl in a yellow helmet, ever.

As I said,the City was insane. Fleet Week, Farmer's Market, music festivals, food truck parties.... and riding along the waterfront was a little like a war zone. There were so many pedestrians (and idiot motorcycle riders with stupidly loud modified tail pipes) in the bicycle lane, it was better for all of us to just take a lane and go from there. I was worried that my guests would be overwhelmed by the whole thing, but they just kept pedaling along looking at he circus around them!

Louise, especially, liked seeing the sights and gliding around. The whole time we were riding there were stunt flyers in the air above us. I would love to get her down here on a calmer day to ride around and see some sights, I know she's game. She just glided through the crazy mess like it was nothing (wonder why we are friends?).

I love having friends in town, especially when they are up for something fun like riding around.

Friday, October 15, 2010

This is not my finest photographic moment, but what can I say? I was so happy seeing this scene my photographic skills, what small number of them I have, went out the window.

Two kids, a basket, shopping and a Workcycle in San Francisco! I was so freakin' proud of this woman I think I came across a little stalker. Riding with kids in the urban environment can be challenging, not least because of the insulting and inane comments people will make right to your face about how dangerous it is out there and how "Eeeyyyyyeeee would never do that with myyyyy kids".

This beautiful woman gets 8 thumbs up from those of us here at the blog! Your kids are lucky to have you! (we give another 8 thumbs to Mai Le, the lovely lady in the blue dress!)

Thursday, October 14, 2010

Ages before the Sartorialist there was Bill. I have followed his interviews, media NYT posts and columns for ages and seeing this picture today pop up in my feed-reader made me smile.Bill Cunningham at his age of 80, continues to use film and not digital for all his shoots. Timeless, classy and simple.
Fantastic!!
Photo via the sartorialist

Monday, October 11, 2010

My little brother is back to school and he wanted to share his new bike commute on our story bloggie =)
Oh college life. so cool.
This week is also his birthday ----- Happy birthday nano!!
♥I love this kid so very muchooooo.

Hola! Just wanted to share a couple of pics with you :D

-1. is me n that smurffin jacket you got me all those years ago :P

-2. is my bici with it’s brand new 160lb capacity rear rack!

-3. is the lightweight basket provided by the generous folks at Safeway :P

Sunday, October 10, 2010

Bikey love from the Bay, to ELAY, this video I found via laughinsquid earlier this week, reminded me that the beauty between the north and the southern end of our state, some people can get a rush from having the latest and greatest gadget -SF feels this way more than often especially with so many siclionvallenians nerdos-- or you can get a rush from cruising in the beachside around Los Angeles county.
Almost felt like I would see our LA collab wondershooter woman Caryl somewhere in the video =)
I'd like to visit this shop and get me a cruiser if I ever was to live in SoCal or elsewhere - because any place is really flat, after biking in SF for almost a decade.
This video is tight.

Wednesday, October 6, 2010

attractive nuisance: (doctrine; lay definition): [a] landowner may be held liable for injuries to children trespassing on the land if the injury is caused by hazardous object or condition on the land that is likely to attract children who are unable to appreciate the risk posed by the object or condition.

i ride market street everyday. i don't particularly care to do so, other than it is the main artery of the city, therefore it is the way that leads me from here to there. so in order to get to where i need to go, market street is a necessary part of my commute and other errand type of biking.

as a regular market street rider, i can say that it has gotten better since the installation of separated bike paths, delineated with those green painted spaces or with those "safe hit posts" (oxymoron anyone?). within the past year, personal car traffic has been direct to turn left at two intersections, 10th street and 6th street. traffic earlier in the year was directed to turn right at 8th street and 10th street by traffic cops, but they have since discontinued that practice, presumably there in the first place to get regular drivers used to the new practice.

is this a "safe hit" post? foto by ade

in the past couple of weeks i have noticed a few things on my morning (aka pre-caffeinated) commute, two of which are disturbing to me as a daily commuter, and as a frequent weekend market street rider.

first, at 10th street, bike traffic is directed to the left of the mandatory right turn, with the bike lane sandwiched next to and to the right of to the F rail train. so it's muni tracks, bike lane, mandatory (car) right turn lane. like this (except now the bike lane is painted green):

foto by meli

this does not leave a lot of room for those mandatory right turners to go straight through the light, as they have to cross paths with east-bound bike traffic. which is exactly what has been happening in the mornings in the past couple of weeks, and can be pretty unnerving. apparently the sign saying "LANE CLOSED" has been down. today, thankfully, i noticed it was reinstated and that the mandatory right hand turners were obeying traffic signs.

which brings me to the second, and instigator of this whole post: seeing the below picture of two buses blocking the bike lane at 8th and market:

foto by adam

two wednesdays before this photo appeared in my feed, i noticed something very similar happen, but on a much larger scale, on my way to butterlap. sigh. there were at least 5 large tour buses in that very spot, NO DOUBT related to the big tech company convention that was all over the news. sigh.

a block away i was already busily thinking how to navigate around that nonsense with taxis in front of me, who are able to go straight through on market street until embarcadero. i must have worn the confused look on my face because the other cyclist turned to ask me with a wry smile, "how are we going to get past that?" "i have no idea, was just thinking the same thing myself," i replied.

foto by meli

i show this pic of meli cause i think it illustrates several of the obstacles of which i refer: grates, and those pinche muni tracks on either side of the double yellow line. UGH. i have seen many a competent (and newbie) cyclist get stuck in those tracks, then fall down, go boom, spawning this sticker:

the comments which started in the picture above with the buses were very interesting. adam, whom i know is a parent (thus familiar with the term), mentioned market street being like an attractive nuisance in that market street with its green lanes and "safe hit posts" thus creating the analogy that market street's new sporadic bike infrastructure may make it attractive to cyclists of all levels, including newer and other inexperienced riders, and get them encouraged to ride, despite its obstacles.

that conversation stuck with me for a couple of days, enough to for it to jump without me past the flickr picture and on to spark a lively facebook page discussion and then produce a vimeo video taken just yesterday (as of the writing of this post)

so, are the newer bike lanes on market street like an "attractive nuisance" to newer riders?

i'm certainly not a new rider. i'm comfortable in trafficky conditions, as a frequent pedestrian (nyc baby) a frequent bike rider and an occasional car driver. i know i'm not the oldest hat at bike commuting, but i'm confident in traveling in urban traffic in my own patient way.

i cannot even fathom to promote what can be done with market street as i am not an engineer nor am i an urban planner. i am, however, a bike rider who commutes daily. i would like to feel safe in my designated and provided separated bike lane, and i would like to know that cars on market street will turn at appropriate intersections because it makes the remaining stretches of the commute for the rest of us (public transporation, taxis and bikes) more bearable and predictable.

but those buses...... those buses really are a problem for muni buses, passengers, taxis and bike riders alike.

for all of the obstacles shown above, market street now really is rather enjoyable, compared to what it could be, during the morning commute.

what about the afternoon commute west-bound on market street you may be asking? well, let's save that for another long post, shall we?

Monday, October 4, 2010

A friend of mine showed me these videos awhile back. They are from the mid-50's and

At 1:40 BART- *should* have these. This is every Bay Area biker's dream and I'm sure many trains and public transportation systems could definetely use these wagons. Would be SOOO nice.The narrative is fantastic, in many ways reminds me of heading out of SF and riding into the Marin rolling hills.